


Shot and expired

by RamIsAway



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Aliens, Assassination Attempt(s), Attempted Murder, Dib & Zim Friendship (Invader Zim), Dib is So Done (Invader Zim), Gunshot Wounds, Imprisonment, M/M, Outer Space, Teenagers, Torture, Water Guns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:14:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22539937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RamIsAway/pseuds/RamIsAway
Summary: The Tallest are fed up with Zim's constant antics and decide to take drastic measures.
Relationships: Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	1. Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I name the title after a fnaf fan song? Yes, yes I did

The air was tense, Pilot Ar'r could practically taste the irritation rolling of The Almighty Tallest Red and Purple. He didn't dare look back at them. They had just gotten off a call with Defect _Zim_. A destructive little Irken who tended to cause multiple problems for his Tallest. 

_Such as the destruction of Impending Doom 1, and destruction of Tallest Miyuki and Tallest Spork._

The pilot sighed, keeping his focus on the ships controls instead of his Tallests angry ranting about the problem they had. Although he couldn't help it when his antennae perked up at _'assassination'_

Assassination was something typically frowned upon by the Irken empire, and Ar'r shuddered at the thought of it. He knew Zim was a major thorn in his leaders sides, but did he really deserve _that?_ He swallowed back his doubt. He had no right to question The Almighty Tallest

* * *

"Soldier Rita, was it?" The female Irken jumped, whipping around to face Almighty Tallest Red and Purple. "Yes, my Tallest." She replied, dipping down in a slight bow. "We've heard of your strength and ability to sneak up on opponents." Red stated, staring down at the smaller Irken.

She nodded slowly, seemingly unphased by being in the presence of her leaders. "Yes, my lords, you've heard true." She stated slowly. Rita was amongst the taller side of the Irken population, although not quite tall enough to be amongst her leaders. Her eyes were a brilliant bright shade of blue and her skin a pasty green, a few small dots of darker green around her eyes. "Do you require my skills?"

There was silence for a moment, the taller Irken's seeming to think. "Yes." Purple finally responded slowly. "If you'd come with us to somewhere more private, we'd like to tell you what for."

* * *

"I have a mission, Yorr." The newly named Assassin Rita slid into her chair in front of her friend, stabbing into slimy food she had purchased. Medic Yorr looked up at her, confusion clear on his face. Yorr was a young Medic Irken, skin an olive green color with large spots of lighter green that circled around his eyes. "You've already got a job, dont you?" He asked, leaning forward a little bit.

The former soldier nodded. "Yes, but the Tallest have given me a new one." She smiled widely, proud that _she_ was the one her leaders had deamed good enough for the job. "Well dont leave me guessing Rita, spill!" Yorr chirped, picking up some sort of dried creature that he stared at in distaste for a moment, then popped it in his mouth.

Rita leaned close, glancing around a bit. "They've given me the role of assassin." She mumbled, and Yorr's eyes grew wide. "Assassin?" He squeaked, pushing up the goggles that sat on top of his head. "For- for one of our own or a different specie?"

"One of our own!" Rita purred, clapping her hands together. "The defect Zim." Yorr seemed utterly horrified. "But Rita, that's one of our _own,_ defect or not, that's frowned upon!" 

She waved her hand dismissively, smiling wider. "He's defective and he caused the destruction of two of our lords, he deserves it." She sighed, setting her elbow on the table and resting her head in her hand. "He's been causing our Tallests trouble for over four years, this is the only way to properly get rid of him." 

Yorr opened his mouth, seeming to want to argue more, but Rita held up her free hand to silence him. "Agruing against the Tallests decisions is practically treason, Yorr." She knew she wasnt being completely truthful, it wasnt like he wasnt allowed to share his opinion, especially on something as frowned upon as assassination of a fellow Irken, but she really wished he would _stop talking._

As she hoped, her friend fell silent, antennae drooping slightly. "Alright Rita." He sighed, knowing her well enough to know that all she wanted was for him to shut up.

"Thank you."

* * *

The ride to earth was _boring._ Her assigned SIR sat quietly by her side, red eyes shining brightly. She pressed her lips together. She knew SIR units didnt have a need for a name, but she felt it would give them a little more personality. "Would you like the named Shika?" She asked it, receiving a seemingly confused look. "I'll take that as a yes." Shika gave a short nod, and turned back to continue piloting the ship.

* * *

Dib Membrane pursed his lips, watching his former enemy fidget in his seat, pulling at his fingers and swinging his feet. The little Irken never seemed to be able to sit still, and it made Dib smile warmly.

The Irken had come once set on destroying earth, but had calmed down significantly after years of failure, and eventually he and Dib grew to be friends, and even more then that. Zim had pretty much given up on taking over Dib's home, although he would still make panicked calls to the Tallests, coming up with reasons as to why he still hadn't succeeded.

Dib smiled as he made eye contact with the alien when he turned, and his green face turned a purplish color Dib had become familiar with as blush. The Irken turned away quickly, and Dib rolled his eyes a bit as he turned back to face his teacher who he had since he was at least eleven years old.

"Class. We have a new student."

* * *

The name Rita was oddly familiar, it made his stomach churn with an odd sense of anxiety, and he wrung his hands as he stood by Dib and the entrance to the school, watching the rain pour. The new student stood by as well, eyeing the water falling from the sky with a rather bored expression. Dib sighed heavily, and held out his cloak to the small Irken in disguise next to him, and Zim huddled close under the cloth, hoping that it would keep him mostly dry and uninjured.

"My house?" Dib asked softly, and Zim gave a jerky nod. Dib's house was closer, and there he could wait out the rain. Dib nodded, and together they began to walk, leaving behind the strange new student who gave him such an overwhelming sense of anxiety


	2. Ruminating over past experiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zim can't shake her out of his head

Dib sighed as Zim made another clicky chirp sound, and he turned in his chair to face the little alien laying on his bed. "What's bugging ya, space boy?" Zim's antennae twitched, but he didnt look over at the human. "It is nothing, earth worm." Dib rolled his eyes a bit at the 'insult', and balled up a piece of paper he had at his desk, and tossed it at his little alien.

Zim squealed and flailed his arms a bit. "Dramatic." Dib commented, leaning back in his chair. "Now spill, or I'll throw another." "Zim will never." He huffed, closing his eyes. Dib smiled, and quietly stood from his chair and approached the bed. "Well, then I suppose," He grabbed Zim under the arms and hoisted the alien into the air, another squeal leaving him. "I'll just have to dissect you for your thoughts!"

Zim squirmed, large pink eyes staring down at him, a giggle pushing it's way past his lips. "No! Dirty worm human, put Zim down! He will not stand for this!" He was dropped into the bed, given a moment to breath, and then Dib was on him, fingers dancing over his sides and squishy stomach. "No!" He shrieked, attempting to squirm away from the human, but found that he could not. "Dib! Dib s-stop!" 

"If I do will you tell me whats going on in that head of yours?" The human leaned close to the alien, cheeks dusted a light pink while Zim's were aggressively purple. "Yes!" He croaked, squirming more in Dib's hold. "Yes- yes, Zim will just stop!"

Dib reluctantly released the alien, smiling more as he went limp on the bed, breathing heavy. "Dont be dramatic." Dib chuckled, climbing onto the bed and laying beside him. "Tell me whats up."

"You remember Tak, correct?" Zim asked once he had regained his breath. "Of course." Dib sighed, thinking back on the Irken that had gotten closer to destroying earth then Zim ever had. "How could I forget?"

"Good. Good. That new _Rita_ reminds Zim of that hideous Tak." 

"She's just a new student Zim, not everyone new is going to be Irken. Remember Amaya?" 

Zim let out an irritated huff. "Zim is not _stupid_ Dib. Zim knows that but something about her is rather off." He held up his arms in front or him, observing his hands. "She's familiar." 

"Familer how?" Dib asked, rolling over onto his side to observe him. "I don't _know!_ " Zim cried, obviously frustrated as he had dropped referring to himself in third person. His arms dropped to his side. "She just _is,_ like she was important and I cant remember _why_."

Dib sighed, reaching over and wrapping his arms around Zim and tugged him close. "Maybe itll come to you later." 


	3. Disgust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rita cant stand earth.
> 
> And Zim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a brief graphic-ish despreption of violence

Earth was _disgusting._

It was inhabited by gross pink fleshy creatures with no manners, not caring how stupid they look with their stupid walks and stupid voices, and stupid _everything._

She blew out a breath, glaring at the rivulets of _water_ she had been informed of. It was highly dangerous to her species. Of course, something earth creatures - _"earth is inhabited by odd creatures called **human's**_ "- relied upon so heavily was something that could injure her greatly.

She despised earth.

-

The little Defect had finally gone home alone. After three days of hanging out with that _worm_ the Irken scurried off alone, and she followed close behind, never letting him out of sight, and making sure she stayed hidden.

His house was not fit for an Irken at all. He slipped inside, and she felt anger bubbling under his skin, angry that _he_ was part of their species. He did not deserve to be. She wanted to tear him apart, gouge his eyes out and hear him shriek, to cry and beg for mercy. She wanted to rip his antennae out and break every damn bone in his tiny defective body. She wanted to kill him. She wanted to make him _hurt._

-

Anxiety buzzed under Zim's skin like lightening, the feeling of being watched never leaving even as he got inside, and he turned all his security on to make sure that _no one_ would be able to get in without his permission.

"GIR." He called, pressing the tips of his fingers together, and then pulling them away. He repeated the process. "Do not let anybody enter besides Dib, understood?" The little robot gave a solute, eyes briefly going red, and then waddled off to the kitchen, singing a janky toon.

Zim just shook his head slightly, heading down to the lab. He needed some sort of distraction, although he wasnt sure what exactly it would be.

Something felt so _wrong._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that the chapter is a bit shorter than usual, I wasnt sure what to do with it.


	4. Reflecting on feelings and looming danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dib reflects on Zim's current anxiety and his own.

Dib didnt want to admit it to Zim, but he had felt a sort of terrifying anxiety since Rita had arrived in their rather gross town. He didn't want to freak the little alien out more, but he saw the way Rita looked around, so aware of her surroundings and so unlike any of the other people who lived around them. 

She looked at both human and alien with such a large sense of hate and malice that Dib's brain screamed _**DANGER, DANGER, DANGER!**_ and it was so very hard to ignore. It loomed over him like someone much too tall and it terrified him.

He sincerely hoped she only looked at them like that because of how loud they were together.

He swallowed around the lump in his throat, Rita didnt seem like an alien.. did she? Now that he thought about it.. she did avoid water and meat like the plague, something Zim did because it was harmful to his species.

Dib inhaled sharply, grabbing a notepad and a pencil, writing that down. He needed to start observing her incase they were truly in danger.

-

Zim was making his nervous clicky chirps again.

Dib sighed, eyeing the alien quietly. "What-" "Zim has been.. feeling watched lately." He cut Dib off. "And usually it stops when Zim goes to the Dib's house, but.. not- not yesterday, when I went to my own home." Dib tapped his pencil lightly against his desk.

It was.. definitely worrying, Dib had to admit. He felt it too. Of course he did. Dib sighed, opening his mouth to respond- "I didnt feel safe in my own home." Zim continued, and Dib snapped his mouth shut with a _clack_. "I don't know what to do."

Dib swallowed around the lump in his throat. He needed to look into Rita, and who exactly she was, to either put Zim at ease or stop her if she was truly a danger to him.

-

He hadn't found out much.

Rita was secretive and seemed to just _disappear_ whenever she seemed it necessary. It had been two days since Dib had started looking into her.

He had a bad feeling.


End file.
